Kourtney Kardashian Has the Perfect Reason for Dating Travis Barker After Years of Friendship

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker maintained a close friendship for years before things between them recently turned romantic. But what made the pair — especially Kardashian — decide to give love a try after being friends for so long?

Kourtney Kardashian was ready for a relationship with a ‘mature guy’

Kardashian has dated her share of men in the past, but it seems that none of her past relationships compare to her romance with Barker.

Though the pair started off as friends, insiders tell People that the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star decided to give Barker a shot because she was ready to be in a relationship “with a more mature guy.”

“Kourtney and Travis have a long, long history and years of friendship,” the insider says. “They’ve felt like family for years, and she’s really close with Alabama, who’s just a cool rock star kid.” 

The source describes the Blink-182 drummer as “a super smooth guy and women love him, but he’s not a player. He’s really, really nice, chill and is an adult.”

Before sparking romance rumors with Barker, Kardashian was known for dating men who were relatively younger than she was. Now that she’s with Barker, it seems that she’s enjoying dating someone her own age.

Travis Barker couldn’t be happier to be dating Kourtney Kardashian

Though Kardashian has yet to open up about her budding romance with Barker, he recently gushed about their “natural” relationship while appearing on an episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.

“I would date girls that didn’t have kids and I find it kind of hard, because I think they have trouble understanding, well, ‘Why don’t you want to go to dinner every night with me?’ or ‘Why don’t you want to see me every night?'” Barker told Barrymore. “Now, I’m spending time with a woman who’s, like, a great mom, who’s, like, a great friend and you don’t have to worry about any of those things, it just comes natural.” 

He added, “I also really like missing someone and cherishing the time that I spend with them, instead of, you know, every day being with them, especially in the beginning of the relationship,” he added. “I think missing someone is so important.” 

Barker’s comments about Kardashian and their relationship come a few weeks after insiders confirmed their romance in January 2021.

“Travis has always had an eye for Kourtney,” a source told E! News at the time. “The chemistry and flirtation has always been there. They have a lot in common, and Kourtney has always been attracted to how Travis is as a parent. He’s an amazing, hands-on dad, and Kourtney loves that about him. They love relaxing at home with their kids, and everyone gets along. It’s going well, and they aren’t putting pressure on it being super serious at this point.”

A month later, the reality star made her relationship with Barker Instagram official by sharing a snapshot of their hands intertwined to her feed.

Kourtney Kardashian is glad she gave Travis Barker a chance

Though they’ve only been dating for a short while, Kardashian and Barker’s relationship continues heating up.

Now that she sees how well their relationship works, the mom of three is happy that her friendship with the musician turned romantic.

“He’s always wanted to date her, but she would brush it off, and they continued to just have a friendship,” an insider recently shared with E! News. “Their relationship is going strong, and Travis has been treating her like a queen. He wants to do everything with her and is so excited about the relationship. It’s going really well and Travis’ kids love Kourtney.”

The source adds, “She’s really happy and is having a lot of fun. They are planning a few more getaways together in the next coming months. Kourt is also helping Travis on his wellness line, and he loves hearing her input on the project.”

Kardashian wanted a more mature relationship, and it looks like she found it in Barker.